Forgiveness
by BabyBoomBoom0029
Summary: Tim and Abby's four-year-old son breaks something that is his mothers. How will they react to the knowledge of him breaking the rules and something so close to his mother's heart? Established McAbby. AU, quick fluffy one-shot.


***Just a one-shot. Set in the future Established McAbby. I came up with this while watching a re-run of Lost & Found yesterday. It was inspired by the part when Abby tells Carson that **_**'moms will always forgive you.'**_** Let me know what you think. Please read and review.***

Tim McGee sat on the floor inside his four-year old son's room. He sat quietly as he watched his son pick at his fingernails nervously. He smiled slightly when he thought just how much he looked like his mother, when she was nervous. They both picked their nails and stared at their feet as if something amazing was going to happen if they stared long enough. Tim scooted closer to his son's bed, "Mommy tells me that you've been in here since she picked you up from pre-school today. Want to tell me why?" He asked gently.

As soon as Tim walked through the door he expected to be greeted by his wife and children as usual. However, today his girls, Emma-Leigh and Meghan, were the only ones at the door. Abby was in the kitchen cooking dinner, and Nathanial was in his room. Abby had told Tim that as soon as they came home Nathan had run upstairs and not said a word to her. She questioned Emma-Leigh and Meghan about it but neither of the girls knew what was wrong with their brother. So Abby let him be, knowing that in only about one hour Tim would be home. Maybe Nathan just needed to talk to his dad, and have a boy-to-man conversation.

"I can't tell you." Nathan pouted, shaking his head 'no'.

"Why not?" McGee asked, trying to figure out what could make his usually rambunctious pre-schooler sit quietly for longer than a few minutes. McGee opened his arms wide, "Come sit with me." He leaned his back against the side of Nathan's bed and wrapped his arms around his son, "What's wrong buddy? You can tell me." He cooed as he noticed his son shaking slightly.

"Mommy be mad at me." Nathan mumbled into his fathers shoulder.

"Why will Mommy be mad?" McGee asked.

"You be mad at me too." Nathan stuck his bottom lip out, much like Abby, as he pouted.

"Did you do something that you aren't supposed to?" McGee felt his son shake his head 'no'. He took a deep breath, "Did you do something wrong?" He asked. Maybe if he asked the right question his son would tell him what the problem was.

"I didn't mean to." Nathan looked up at his dad with tears in his eyes, "It was an accident."

"What was an accident?" He asked gently. He could see Nathan trying to decide if he was going to tell him or not, "Can you show me?" He asked hoping that maybe this approach would work better. Nathan clambered out of McGee's lap and walked over to his school backpack. Nathan dug in the bag for a few moments before finally retrieving the item he was looking for. He carefully brought the item and all its pieces over to Tim.

"Mommy's gonna be mad because I broked it." Nathan said.

"Let me see what you've got there. And maybe I can help you fix it." McGee said encouragingly. McGee took the small piece of metal and the little jewels from his son. He realized that this was Abby's necklace. Not one of her chokers or chains but, a simple gold chain with three small people charms on it. Two girls and one boy. Tim had bought it for Abby the day they officially adopted their triplets. He knew she still felt somewhat guilty because she couldn't give Tim a blood-related child so he bought her this to remind her that even though the triplets weren't their flesh and blood they had grown in Abby and Tim's heart. He noted that the chain was broken and all three charms had fallen off the necklace. He was disappointed because all three of the children knew that they were to stay out of their parent's bedroom unless invited in or in an emergency. Tim and Abby needed their own space that was kid-free. Plus, that is where Tim kept his SIG and all of his things for work. He did lock up his weapon but he still didn't want them rifling through his work bag. They really didn't need the kids picking through their 'toy' drawer either. Tim and Abby's bedroom was off limits to the kids and they all knew that. The only way Nathan could have gotten this necklace was if he disobeyed his parent's rules, "Why do you have Mommy's necklace?" Tim asked gently.

"For show and tell." Nathan said, "I sorry Daddy."

"Did Mommy give it to you to take to school today?" McGee watched as Nathan shook his head, "No? So you went into Mommy and Daddy's room without permission and took it?"

"Uh huh."

"Why did you take it?" McGee asked.

"Um…I wanted to take it because…um…we was supposed to show something that our Mommy likes." Nathan confessed, "Emma took a picture of our family, Meghan took one of Mommy's books that she reads a lot. Mommy said she could take it."

"And did Mommy say you could take her necklace?" McGee asked, knowing the answer was 'no'. In fact he knew Abby was missing the necklace. Since the day he gave it to her she had never stopped wearing it. She took it off to sleep, shower and when she was working in the evidence garage because she didn't want it to get caught on anything. This morning they were running late because she couldn't find it. Finally they _had_ to get the kids to school and get to work. McGee promised they would find it even if that meant stripping the house top to bottom to find it; they would when they got home from work.

"Are you mad?" Nathan asked as a few tears fell down his cheeks.

Tim scooped his son into his arms, "No. I'm not mad but I am disappointed that you didn't listen to the rules and that you broke Mommy's necklace. That's not very nice to take something that isn't yours. And it's not nice to hide it if you broke it." Tim kissed his son on the top of his head, "Why did you hide it from Mommy?"

"It's her special necklace and I broked it and she won't like me anymore." Nathan cried.

Tim's jaw dropped to the floor, "Nathanial Rylee McGee. Your Mommy will _never ever_ not like you. She loves you very much."

"But I broked her special necklace." Nathan sniffled.

"But you know what your Mommy once said?" McGee felt Nathan shake his head, "Your mommy said 'Mom's _always_ forgive their kids. No matter what they do or say, a Mommy _always_ forgives their child.' She will always love you. It doesn't matter what you do. Mommy and I will always love you." Tim wrapped his arms around his son and held him in a tight hug. That was when he noticed Abby standing in the doorway, her eyes glistening with tears. She had been walking past her son's room when she heard him say that she wouldn't like him anymore so she paused to listen. Quietly she walked across the room and sat down beside her husband and son.

"Nathan." She said softly.

"I sorry Mommy." Nathan climbed over into her lap, "I didn't mean to broked it. I sorry Mommy." He repeated over and over again.

"It's alright honey." She said softly, "I'm not mad. I am sad that it's broken but I can fix it. And you will have to do extra chores because you broke a rule." She said softly yet firmly.

Nathan nodded his head, "K. Do you still love me?" He asked sadly.

"I will _always_ love you. It doesn't matter what you do, I will always love you. You're my baby boy. How could I not love you?" She kissed him on the cheek.

Tim stood up and helped his wife and son up from the floor, "Buddy, I want you to go wash your hands and help Mommy set the table. You can start on your extra chores tonight." McGee gently ordered.

"K." Nathan said rushing out of his room and into the bathroom.

Abby took the necklace and the charms from Tim's hands, "I can weld this back together at work tomorrow." She said looking sadly at the broken necklace, "How could he think I wouldn't love him because of this?" Abby asked Tim wondering if it was something she did or said to him.

"He knows how much that necklace means to you. He's small, I doubt he put too much thought into it." He could tell that Abby was still thinking it was her fault, "It wasn't anything you said or did to him. That is just the worst thing he could think of." Tim pulled Abby into his arms and squeezed her tight. She deeply inhaled his scent. Even after all these years all she needed was to feel his arms around her and to have him hold her tight to calm her down. Abby extracted herself from his arms as Nathan came bounding in the room, with freshly washed hands.

"C'mon peanut. Let's go set the table." Abby said taking his hand and leading him out of the room. McGee watched as the love of his life took his child into the kitchen. He smiled to himself as he walked towards his and Abby's bedroom. He placed the broken necklace on the dresser next to his badge and Abby's NCIS ID. If he put it there neither of them would forget it in the morning. His grin widened as he thought about his family. The family he wasn't sure he would ever have. He could only think of one way to describe how he was feeling: Perfect. That was his life right now, even if his son broke the rules and his mother's necklace. Tim wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
